Rose Kocjancic Paar

Rose Kocjancic Paar. . In addition to being a place of work, lumber camps were communities that fostered acceptance and relationships. Men on the work crews were from local and foreign regions. They spoke various languages and often moved throughout locales in search of work. Families were raised in these camps. Matrimonial matches were made. Some of these newlyweds chose to strike out on their own and operate independent logging camps. , , Rose (Komidar) Kocjancic Par's family immigrated to Pennsylvania from Austria in the early 20th century. Her father was a wood cutter who helped supply logs for a wood chemical company. He and his wife soon became lumber camp operators and raised their family in the camp. As a young girl, Rose worked in the camp's kitchen. She met her first husband, Joseph, there and they married when she was 17. The young couple immediately started their own lumber camp. They wed on a Saturday and the following Monday, Rose was cooking, washing, cleaning, and sewing for a 25-man crew. Working in areas that were often remote and isolated, women did challenge the social norms of the time and took on roles and responsibilities that went beyond domesticity. Rose did not just stay in the camp kitchen; she was also known to frequently take on tasks in the woods including removing trees, pulling the cross-cut saw, and chopping wood. , , Rose and Joseph ran their lumber operation in locations throughout Elk and McKean Counties and raised their four sons in their camp. When their oldest son was 11 years old, Joseph was killed in a car accident. Resilient and determined, Rose continued to run the camp that they had started. She raised her boys with the lumberjacks and involved them with the work of the camp. Not only did Rose continue to rear her family and maintain all the domestic responsibilities of caring for her boarders, but she also took over the administration of the logging operation, supervised the men, and managed the business finances. The men respected her and knew not to cross her. She was known to easily switch from English to Slovenian when necessary to get a point across or express her disapproval! , , he family's camps were made of lumber with no insulation. Water was piped in from a nearby stream. Rose had a large wood stove on which she cooked. She and her family had separate living quarters and the lumberjacks slept upstairs in the loft. The large dining room was attached to the kitchen. The bathroom was an outhouse. More remote camps had supplies delivered weekly by rail car. Sometimes supplies were ordered from the Sears catalog. Later their groceries were purchased at the A&P and the Triangle Store in Kane, Rose learned how to drive after her husband's death as driving was a necessity to get provisions for her camp. , , Rose's last lumber camp was in Burning Well, functioned until 1968. The wood they harvested was originally purchased by the Clawson Chemical Company and later the Susquehanna Chemical Company. It is believed that Rose Kocjancic operated the last active lumber camp in Pennsylvania. Working in a man's world, she managed throughout Elk and McKean Counties and raised their four with skill, perseverance, and fortitude.